BloodLust
by Ami Uchiha
Summary: Neji is new at Konoha High and wants to be a doctor. But can he survive to make the right friend? And a new crush doesn't really help...


School Day

1

All was quiet in the Hyuga compound. Everyone was asleep. And then the alarm went off. _Beep. Beep. Beep._ A long, well toned arm shot out from what seemed to be a lump under lavender silk sheets and slammed into the offending clock with enough force to send it flying towards the wall. There was a loud bang and a soft thump before the room fell silent again. The lump moved again, unfolded itself to reveal the elegant curve of someone's back. Sheets pooled around Neji's hips and legs, hiding most of the lower half of his body. Long, thick brown hair hung almost to his ass and then he stretched, arching his back in a movement that was distinctly feline. _Tap, tap, tap. _ Neji half-turned and pitched his voice over the sounds of a waking household. "Yes?"

"Uh, N-Neji-san, Father w-wanted to kn-know if you were a-a-awake." Neji suppressed a sigh at the quiver in Hinata's voice, but answered nonetheless.

"Yes, Hinata-san. I'm awake." _Unfortunately_, he added, but kept the thought to himself.

"O-o-o-okay." _And I've managed to scare her again. Great. _Neji couldn't quite help his own sarcasm, but he refused to give voice to it. If his younger cousin found out what he was thinking…well, he didn't really want to think about her reaction. It would probably involve tears. _And I've shed enough tears in the last month to last me a lifetime._ None of them in public, of course. The Hyuga didn't grieve in public; they waited until there was no one there and they could be weak in the comfort of their own home. His hands fisted in his sheets, but after a few minutes, they relaxed and he rolled out of bed and onto his feet.

He didn't bother to wrap the sheet around his bare torso, just kept walking until he got to the dresser that held his clothing. He pulled out a pair of dark gray jeans and a white cotton button-up. He grabbed a towel out of his closet on the way to his own private bathroom. He turned the water on, adjusted the temperature to his preference (scalding hot) and stepped under the spray with a sound that wasn't quite a moan. After a few seconds of just standing there enjoying the heat of the water, he began to actually try to get clean.

It didn't take long and when he was done, he turn off the water and stepped out, dried himself off and got into the clothes, then brushed out his hair. Five times, to make sure the conditioner got where it was supposed to go. This was what took so long. He had to brush his hair five times, all the way through, every single damn morning. It took _forever_. Finally he was done and he pulled his hair back into a tail at the nape of his neck with a sigh, grabbed his messenger bag and slung it over his right shoulder so that it fell onto his right hip. Then he walked out of his room. He tossed a grin at Hinata and suppressed a sigh when he got a shy smile in return.

The walk to school was silent, and Neji relished the chance to simply enjoy the sunshine on his skin, the feeling of the cotton sliding over his skin. He didn't understand how anyone could wear clothing that wasn't well made; he loved the feeling of the smooth cloth against his skin. They made it to school and Hinata walked in the general direction of a group of teens that seemed to be in the middle of a heated debate. A short redhead glared at a tall blonde, while a nearby brunette seemed far to engrossed with sleep. Another redhead was stroking the hair of a boy with long blonde hair that sat in his lap. The blonde's head was on his shoulder and his eyes were closed. The smaller redhead stood abruptly and seemed to be telling the blonde to shut up before he lost his temper. And then the look on his face shifted from a glare to a tiny, barely visible smile and Neji blinked when the boy's eyes stopped on him.

Well…not on him. More past him, and Neji turned to look and see what had caught the redhead's attention. Two gorgeous raven-haired boys walked side by side, and Neji couldn't quite stop himself from staring, although he did manage to keep his shock off his face. They were obviously brothers; their looks were too alike to be anything but related. The first was taller, with his waist-length hair pulled into a tail at the nape of his neck and a slightly more elegant build than the younger boy beside him. The other boy was almost as tall, but his hair was spiked in the back and he wore his bangs an inch or two longer than his brother's. He was wearing a band shirt for Disturbed that strained over broad shoulders and outlined the muscle of his body. He was gorgeous. His jeans were black and loose and his walk was almost a saunter.

_Wow…_That was the only thing that ran through his stunned mind as the teen sauntered closer. Then the younger boy's eyes met his and Neji felt himself blush. "Can I help you?" _Sweet Kami, he sounds just as delicious as he looks…_But Neji heard the amusement in that question and his eyes narrowed. His head lifted and his shoulders rolled back.

"I'm fine, thank you." One elegant eyebrow rose and Neji felt his lips curve in a smirk.

"You were staring, white eyes." Neji's smirk widened.

"Sorry, I was busy trying to figure out whether you were human, or just some kind of performing ape."

Now the boy's eyes narrowed and Neji knew he'd won this round. "Who are you, anyway?"

Neji tilted his head to the side and crossed his arms over his chest. "Guess you really are just an ape if you can't abide by normal manners."

The boy's eyes narrowed even further and Neji raised one eyebrow in a silent question. Finally the boy answered it. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha. Now will you tell me your name?"

Neji's smirk morphed into a smile and he straightened. "Neji Hyuga. Now, was that so hard?"

"So you're related to Hinata-chan?"

Neji's superior smirk reappeared quickly. "That's kind of obvious, given my name, but I'll answer you anyways. Yes, I'm her eldest cousin."

Now the handsome Uchiha's lips curved in a frown. "Since when do you go to this school?"

"Since now," Neji replied before his attention shifted. Someone was moving behind him. "I don't know who you are, but I suggest you stop trying to hide in my shadow. You might end up with a broken nose."

He heard a chuckle and a low, raspy voice answered him as the short redhead moved into his line of sight. "I doubt you could manage it, but I don't want a fight right now. I'm Gaara."

"Do I need to introduce myself again?"

The small redhead shook his head and moved away, his eyes locked on the older teen, the one with the ponytail. The older boy turned and smiled at the redhead. "Hey, there, Gaara…" The older boy's voice was a little deeper than Sasuke's and Neji suppressed a shiver. That voice would send chills down anyone's spine and if he was not immune to Sasuke's voice, he could harbor no delusions that he was immune to his brother's voice. Gaara walked up to the older brother and tugged on the ponytail, his eyes narrowed in irritation. The taller boy bent obediently, his lips curved in a wicked grin and brushed his lips against the redhead's. Both of Neji's eyebrows rose as he watched this, trying to ignore the ripple of sweet, hot lust that slid through his body at the sight. After a minute, the older boy lifted his head and smirked at Gaara. "Good morning, little one." Gaara glared for a second, and then the irritation melted away from his face.

"It is now, Itachi-koi." Neji blinked at the term. It sounded so odd in that soft, raspy voice.

"Are you a voyeurist?" Neji glanced at the younger brother and frowned.

"No…I've just never seen…uh…" His voice trailed off awkwardly and he felt a blush heat his cheeks. Fortunately for his pride, Hinata spoke up at that point.

"N-Neji-s-san has n-n-never been in a p-p-p-public s-school."

"That explains a few things…" Neji's face got even hotter when he realized who was talking. The older Uchiha was looking at him, his lips faintly curved into an almost invisible smirk.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare..." Neji murmured, feeling the blush slowly fade.

"It's alright. By the way, I am Itachi Uchiha. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, Hyuga."

_So that's the way you want to play, huh?_ Neji's head lifted even as he bowed Japanese- style, prim and proper, his eyes meeting Itachi's and holding the older teen's gaze. "As I am pleased to make yours, Uchiha-san." There. He had established that Itachi, however beautiful he was, was his equal. Nothing less, and sure as hell nothing more. One elegant eyebrow rose in surprise at the subtle barb, but otherwise the handsome Uchiha seemed clueless. Neji had to give him at least a little respect, though…he was a good actor. Neji straighten and turned to Hinata, who was more than sharp enough to catch the way he'd said that.

"Well, then…let's sit down." Neji almost jumped at the sound of Sasuke's voice, soft and low and far too close for comfort. Neji turned and felt himself start to fall, he feet sliding out from under him, but before he hit the floor an arm caught his waist, pulling him against a strong, lean and deliciously male body. He could feel that body, pressed against his so intimately, even through his clothes and he tried to ignore the hot ribbons of lust that curled in his stomach. Up close, Sasuke was even sexier. "You okay?" Sasuke's voice was a low murmur and Neji righted himself, pulling away and glaring at the boy to disguise the heat he knew was in his eyes. Anger was better than lust.

"Yes, Uchiha, I'm perfectly fine. Perhaps you could keep your hands to yourself in the future?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed minutely. "If I'd kept my hands to myself, you'd be on the ground right now."

Neji's eyes narrowed even further. "If you had stayed in your own space, I would never have slipped."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed further as well and he stepped forward. "Maybe if you weren't so busy staring at my brother- who has a boyfriend, since you haven't noticed- I wouldn't have had to get so close to get your attention."

Neji glared at the Uchiha. "I was _talking_ to him, not _staring_ at him, you idiot."

All of a sudden, the heat in Sasuke's eyes changed. "You know, Hyuga, you're sexy as hell when you're pissed off." Neji blinked and rocked back on his heels, shocked into silence by Sasuke's words. "And you go quiet when someone's hitting on you," Sasuke continued, watching the emotions flit over Neji's face.

Neji tried to suppress the shiver that rippled down his spine, tried to deny the lust that curled in the pit of his stomach, but when Sasuke stepped forward, he automatically stepped back, backing away from the teen which now seemed to be temptation incarnate. _I can't let him touch me again…_He knew it was true. If that smooth, pale skin touched his, he wouldn't be able to maintain his already shaky control, and Hiashi would murder him if he were openly gay. "I-I-I…" Sasuke stepped closer and Neji realized that he couldn't back any farther away. His back was pressed against a wall and he felt a slow tremble move through him at the other teen's nearness.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, I can't," Neji gasped and then, before Sasuke got any closer and he lost the tiny fraction of control he still had, he spun and ran. He didn't see the way Sasuke's eyes following his retreat. 


End file.
